Discovery on the Pacas Farm
In 1949, the Pacas family discovered an unusually compact Bourbon plant growing on their farm in the Santa Ana region of western El Salvador. The plant stood noticeably shorter than surrounding Bourbon trees but showed vigorous growth and dense foliage. The family recognized its potential and began selecting from its progeny. The variety was formally identified by researchers in the 1950s and entered into a selection program run by El Salvador’s coffee research institute, ISIC (Instituto Salvadoreño de Investigaciones del Café).
The discovery paralleled similar mutations being identified elsewhere — Caturra in Brazil and Villa Sarchi in Costa Rica both arose through the same genetic mechanism around the same era. The pattern established that spontaneous compact mutations in Bourbon populations were not rare events, but their commercial utility made each one significant.
Genetic Basis
Pacas carries a single recessive gene mutation causing compact growth — the same dwarfism mechanism found in Caturra and Villa Sarchi. Genetically, it is otherwise pure Bourbon, retaining the flavor potential of that lineage without modification. Unlike bred hybrids, Pacas arose entirely through natural selection pressure and farmer observation; no intentional crossing was required.
Because the dwarfism trait is governed by a single locus, it breeds relatively predictably. This allowed ISIC to stabilize the variety through pedigree selection across multiple generations, producing uniform lines suitable for commercial distribution. By the 1960s and 1970s, Pacas had spread across El Salvador and into neighboring Central American countries.
Agronomic Characteristics
The compact architecture of Pacas — typically 1.5 to 2 meters at maturity — allows planting at densities two to three times higher than standard Bourbon. Shorter stature means less wind damage on exposed hillsides, easier hand-picking access, and reduced labor cost per tree. The plant is also early-bearing, entering production relatively quickly after establishment.
Pacas retains Bourbon’s susceptibility to coffee leaf rust and CBD. It is not disease-resistant and requires standard fungicide programs in regions where leaf rust pressure is high. Yield is notably better than traditional Bourbon, but less than Catuaí or modern hybrid cultivars. The trade-off — better cup than Catuaí, better yield than Bourbon — has made it a durable choice for quality-conscious Salvadoran producers.
Cup Profile
At altitude above 1,200 meters, Pacas produces the characteristic Bourbon-derived profile: bright citric acidity, medium-to-full body, and sweetness that skews toward caramel and brown sugar with stone fruit (peach, apricot) as a secondary layer. The profile is cleaner and lighter than Bourbon proper, with less of the heavy, almost winey quality that appears in some Bourbon lots.
Washed Pacas from Santa Ana or Chalatenango can be exceptional — round, sweet, and well-structured with enough acidity to keep the cup lively. It performs well under both washed and honey processing. The variety’s cup quality at elevation made it a natural candidate for crossing with other high-quality cultivars.
The Pacamara Cross
Pacas is most widely known outside El Salvador as one parent of Pacamara — a cross between Pacas and Maragogype developed by ISIC and released in the late 1980s. The crossing took approximately 30 years of systematic breeding. Maragogype contributes its famously oversized bean and distinctive flavor complexity; Pacas contributes compactness and productive yield behavior.
Pacamara inherited the bean size of Maragogype and the structural tidiness of Pacas, producing a cultivar with enormous seeds, pronounced complexity, and sufficient yield to be commercially viable — though still demanding in agronomy. The success of Pacamara elevated the profile of its parent, and Pacas is now recognized as a quality variety in its own right rather than merely a historical antecedent.
Significance in Salvadoran Coffee
Pacas is a cornerstone of El Salvador’s coffee identity. Alongside Bourbon and Pacamara, it defines the flavor character associated with Salvadoran high-altitude coffee — sweet, balanced, and clean. For decades it represented the practical middle ground between Bourbon’s quality ceiling and Catuaí’s productivity: growers who wanted both quality and manageable yields planted Pacas.
As El Salvador works to distinguish its coffee on the international specialty market, Pacas lots from farms in Santa Ana, Ahuachapán, and La Libertad appear with increasing frequency in specialty retail. The variety’s compact Bourbon genetics, proven cup quality, and deep roots in Salvadoran coffee culture give it a well-earned place in the country’s agricultural heritage.